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TV/COURT RULES AGAINST SWEAR WORDS: The US Supreme Court said today that TV viewers should not be hit with the "F-word," Fuck, or the "S-word," shit, during prime-time broadcasts, upholding the government's power to impose huge fines on broadcasters for airing a single expletive. In a 5-4 decision, the justices said federal law has long prohibited the broadcast of "indecent" language, and they said the Federal Communications Commission had ample authority to crack down on what Justice Antonin Scalia called the "foul-mouthed glitteratae from Hollywood." He was referring to several incidents that triggered the FCC's crackdown. When entertainer Cher was given a lifetime achievement award at the Billboard Music Awards, she said it proved her critics wrong. "So, f.... 'em," she said. The broadcast aired live on the Fox network and was viewed by about 2.5 million minors, Scalia said. The FCC cited similar comments by Bono and Nicole Richie during entertainment industry award shows. In its new policy, the FCC said a single "fleeting expletive" could trigger fines for the network and all the local broadcasters who aired the show. Fox and the other networks went to court, arguing that this sudden change in policy was unjustified and unwarranted. But the Supreme Court upheld the new policy today in FCC vs. Fox Television and confirmed the government retains broad power to police the airwaves. Although the ruling is a defeat for broadcasters, they can urge the FCC to revise its policy, now that President Obama is appointing new commissioners. They could also urge Congress to revise the applicable law. The court also said the broadcasters can go back to the federal appeals court in New York and argue the policy violates the 1st Amendment.

THEATRE/2009 DRAMA DESK NOMS: The new musical "9 to 5" racked up 15 nominations for the 54th annual Drama Desk Awards, the most of any Broadway or Off Broadway production ever nominated by the legit organization Currently in previews and opening Thursday, "9 to 5" finds itself in the new tuner race with "Shrek the Musical" (12 noms), "Billy Elliot" (10), "The Story of My Life" (4) and "Liza's at the Palace" (1) as well as Off Broadway offering "Fela!" (4). The Broadway revival of "The Norman Conquests" and the Off Broadway "Ruined" led the pack of plays with 5 mentions each. Among musical revivals, "Hair" nabbed 8 noms, including top revival, while the season's other popular Broadway revival, "West Side Story," trailed with 2 (1 for revival and another for featured actress Karen Olivo). At 15 bids, "9 to 5" has racked up more nominations than any production in Drama Desk history. (5 shows, including recent offerings "The Drowsy Chaperone" and "Hairspray," have previously scored 14 apiece.) Among the show's awards contenders are all 3 leading actresses (Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty), director Joe Mantello, composer Dolly Parton and book writer Patricia Resnick, as well as designers of the production. As happened with the Outer Critics list, the season's logjam of play revivals has prompted unexpected omissions from the roster, including no nominations for the Lincoln Center Theater staging of "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" and a snub for Harriet Walter of "Mary Stuart" (although her co-star, Janet McTeer, earned a nom). The fall's well-reviewed staging of "The Seagull" earned 2 featured actresses bids (Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan) but not one for star Kristin Scott Thomas. The crowded 2008-09 schedule, packed with a slew of plays toplined by big-name actors, will likely result in similarly surprising exclusions when the Tony noms are announced May 5. The Drama Desk's new play category includes "Ruined," "Body Awareness," "Becky Shaw," "Fifty Words" and "Lady". Ensemble acting awards will go to the Broadway transfer of the London staging of "The Norman Conquests" and the Off Broadway production of "The Cripple of Inishmaan." Other special Drama Desks will go to Liza Minnelli, Forbidden Broadway, Atlantic Theater Company and Tada! Youth Theater. The 2009 awards will be handed out May 17 at Lincoln Center's LaGuardia Concert Hall. A full list of noms can be found on the Drama Desk website.

THEATRE/MIXED NOTICES FOR "DESIRES": The Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's "Desire Under the Elms," to mixed reviews. The play, directed by Robert Falls, is a melodrama about jealousy on a New England farm. "Desire" is a transfer from Chicago Goodman Theater, and stars Brian Dennehy. Variety said, "Nobody could accuse Robert Falls of taking the safe route with "Desire Under the Elms." As in Simon McBurney's "All My Sons" revival earlier this season, the director layers on bold auteurial flourishes in a stylized bid to fire up the molten Greek tragedy in a naturalistic American drama. And as with that production, responses will range from rejection to rapture. Transferring from Chicago's Goodman Theater, where it was the centerpiece of a Eugene O'Neill festival, the staging is grimly overwrought, with an intensity that never quite translates into emotional impact, yet its unyielding harshness is undeniably compelling". The New York Times said: "A lust for sex and a lust for real estate are familiar passions to many, notwithstanding the plummeting co-op market and those libido-dampening Dow numbers. But these primal drives take on an eerie, entrancing strangeness in the gutsy revival of Eugene O’Neill’s “Desire Under the Elms” that opened Monday night at the St. James Theater. Portraying a stepmother and stepson doomed to enact a feverish, erotic dance that will ultimately destroy them, Carla Gugino and Pablo Schreiber fight like tigers in a cage over a legacy of land, even as their bodies cleave violently together, aflame with urgent need". The Times went on to say, "With Ms. Gugino, Mr. Schreiber and Mr. Dennehy giving performances of unflagging commitment and exposed feeling, the production manages to transcend the play’s flaws to transmit the penetrating truth of O’Neill’s underlying vision, of the ineradicable human need to possess and be possessed". Readers comments on the Times were harsh, with one person saying that they have "never seen anything this bad". "Desire Under The Elms" runs 100 minutes and is playing at the St James Theater on Broadway.

WORLD NEWS/ SWINE FLU CASES GROW

New cases of the deadly swine flu virus have been confirmed as far afield as New Zealand and Israel, as the UN warns it cannot be contained. The US, Canada, Spain and Britain confirmed cases earlier but no deaths have been reported outside Mexico, where the virus was first reported. Mexico has raised the number of probable deaths to 152, with 1614 suspected sufferers under observation. UN inspectors are to examine reports pig farms may have spread the virus. The UN's health agency, the World Health Organization (WHO), confirmed that the flu had been transmitted between humans. WHO chief Dr Keiji Fukuda said it was not inevitable that the outbreak would develop into a global epidemic, or pandemic, but countries should "take the opportunity to prepare". Several countries have issued warnings against travelling to Mexico, but the WHO and the EU's health chief, Androulla Vassiliou, said such measures would do little to combat the flu's spread. WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said experts were working on a vaccine, but said it could take 5 or 6 months to develop. Health experts say the virus comes from the same strain that causes seasonal outbreaks in humans, but also contains genetic material from versions of flu which usually affect pigs and birds. 64 cases have been confirmed in the US so far, with Indiana being the latest state to confirm a case. US President Barack Obama has asked Congress for $1.5bn to help prepare for a possible outbreak, and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency over the threat. Health officials in New Zealand, Israel, Canada, the UK and Spain have all reported a small number of cases in their countries.

The EU said patients were also under observation in Denmark, Sweden, Greece, the Czech Republic, Germany and Italy. Tests are being carried out on people in Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, Australia and South Korea. Some countries in Asia, Latin America and Europe are screening airport passengers for symptoms, while Germany's biggest tour operator has suspended trips to Mexico. Cuba also suspended flights to and from Mexico for 48 hours from today. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is sending a team to Mexico to investigate rumours that people had been falling ill last month near intensive pig farms. In Mexico City, officials have banned restaurants and cafes from serving all food except takeaways to help prevent the flu spreading. The WHO raised its pandemic alert status to level 4 yesterday, 2 levels from a full pandemic, after concluding there had been sustained transmission between humans. Levels 5 and 6 are reserved for when there is widespread human infection. WHO spokesman Mr Hartl said there were a number of cases in New York "which appear to be human-to-human transmission". He said that if the New York cases were confirmed, the WHO could raise its alert to level 5. The UN body is encouraging countries to begin intensive surveillance of possible infection and send as much information as possible to the WHO. In Mexico, swine flu has been confirmed in 20 of the 152 known deaths. In almost all cases outside Mexico, people have been only mildly ill and have made a full recovery.

AVIATION/ DSB UPDATES ON TURKISH FL1951

The Dutch Safety Board released their preliminary report today on their investigation into the fatal accident involving a TURKISH AIRLINES Boeing 737-800 near Amsterdam Airport on February 25, 2009. Turkish Flight 1951 was on Scheduled International Service from Istanbul, Turkey, to Amsterdam, with 128 passengers and 7 crew members onboard, when the accident took place. Of those onboard, 5 passengers and 4 crew members were killed, and 83 passengers and 3 crew members suffered minor to critical injuries . The 737 was on final approach, when it came down in a farm field some 1.5 km short of the runway threshold. The aircraft broke into 3 pieces, but there was no fire. The altimeter is being eyed as a possible cause of the crash. The report states that recorded flight data from the 8 previous flights of the aircraft continues to be examined. The data show 2 other instances of left radio altimeter malfunctions. In the recorded cases, the autothrottle also entered the retard mode above the intended flare altitude, and the thrust levers moved to idle, because of a malfunction of the left radio altimeter. The data of these flights are being investigated. The last recorded data on the flight data recorder show the airplane at 22 degrees nose up and a 10 degrees bank to the left. The airplane impacted ground about 1500 meters from the threshold runway 18R. The wreckage trail was about 330 feet long along. The investigation by the Dutch Safety Board continues, with the assistance of the Turkish Directorate General for Civil Aviation, The Dutch Transport and Water Management Inspectorate, The American National Transportation Safety Board, the United Kingdom Air Accident Investigation Branch, the French Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyse, Air Traffic Control The Netherlands, the aircraft operator, the aircraft manufacturer, engine manufacturer, component manufacturers and representatives of flight and cabin crew associations. The investigation will examine technical, operational, survivability, ATC procedures, human factors and safety management aspects. Several avionics components, including the LRRA transceivers, autothrottle computers, flight control computers and flight management computers have been removed from the aircraft for further investigation. A copy of the full preliminary report can be found on the Dutch Safety Board website.

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

MAGNICHARTERS 737 PERFORMS BELLY LANDING: A MAGNICHARTERS Boeing 737 suffered substantial damages when it had to make a gear up landing yesterday, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Magnicharters Flight 585 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Cancun to Guadlajara, with 108 passengers and 8 crew members onboard, when the incident took place. The crew declared an emergency while on approach to Guadalajara, as the main landing gear would not lower. While circling the Airport to troubleshoot the problem, the crew performed a fly-over the tower, which confirmed that the gear was not down. Unable to fix the problem, the crew decided to land on runway 28 without the gear down. The crew managed to touch down on its belly, and bring the aircraft to a stop on both engine pods and the nose gear. The left engine caught fire during the slow down, however the fire was quickly doused by the emergency services attending the landing. The 116 passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft via the slides. According to Airport officials, 4 passengers suffered minor injuries in the incident. The aircraft, which suffered substantial damage, may have to be written off. Both Mexican Aviation Officials and the Airline are investigating the incident.

EMERGENCY RETURN FOR VENEZOLANA 737: VENEZOLANA RUTAS AERES DE VENEZUELA Flight 222 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 737 Service from Maracaibo to Caracas, Venezuela, when it had to make an emergency return to Maracaibo, yesterday, April 27. Flight 222, with 83 passengers and crew, declared an emergency shortly after takeoff due to a hydraulics failure. The 737 landed back at Maracaibo about 30 minutes after its original departure. The aircraft departed the main runway upon landing, all passengers and crew were then evacuated via the slides. No one was injured in the incident. According to Airport officials, the aircraft suffered no damage in the landing, however the 737 has been removed from service for inspection and repairs.

WINDSHIELD BURSTS ON UTAIR AN24: UTAIR EXPRESS Flight 123 was on Scheduled Domestic Antonov 24 Service from Surgut to Barnaul, Russia, when it was damaged, yesterday, April 27. Flight 123, with 10 passengers and 6 crew members onboard, had just touched down at Barnaul's runway, when one of the cockpit windows burst and flew out from the aircraft. No one was injured in the incident, and the aircraft was able to taxi to the gate. However, the Russian public prosecution office has opened an investigation into the incident. The office said that a crack had developed when the aircraft was on far approach at around 18000 feet, before the glass completely shattered upon touch down.

ENGINE FORCES ALLEGIANT MD83 RETURN: ALLEGIANT AIR Flight 507 was on Scheduled Domestic MD83 Service from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Fresno, California, when it had to make an emergency return to Las Vegas, on Sunday, April 26. Flight 507 declared an emergency after extreme noise and vibrations came from the right hand engine while climbing through 21000 feet. The aircraft, which was met by Emergency Services, landed back at Las Vegas without incident, about 30 minutes after its initial departure. The aircraft has been removed from service for inspection and repair.
ENGINE FORCES CONTINENTAL 757 RETURN: CONTINENTAL AIRLINES Flight 348 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 757 Service from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California, when it had to make an emergency return to Newark, on Sunday, April 26. Flight 348 declared an emergency and reported an engine fire indication for the left hand engine and a blown tire on takeoff. The 737 leveled off at 2100 feet and landed back at Newark without incident, about 10 minutes after its initial depature. The 757 has been removed from service for inspection and repairs.
DELTA 757 DAMAGED BY ENGINE FIRE: DELTA AIRLINES Flight 1039 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 757 Service from Atlanta, Georgia, to San Diego, California, when it had to reject takeoff from Atlanta, on Saturday, April 25. Flight 1039 rejected takeoff at high speed from Atlanta due to the failure of the left hand engine. The aircraft stopped safely and returned to the terminal. Upon return to the terminal, the left engine caught fire. Emergency Services foamed down the engine, and Atlanta called a ground stop while they dealt with the emergency. The aircraft, which suffered substantial damages, has been removed from service. The NTSB and the Airline are investigating the incident.

RAM 767 DAMAGED IN LANDING: ROYAL AIR MAROC Flight 42 was on Scheduled International Boeing 767 Service from Casablanca, Morocco, to New York JFK, when it was damaged upon landing at JFK, last Monday, April 20. Flight 42 was cautioned about wake turbulence when landing at JFK, however the aircraft appeared to land without incident. Multiple passengers complained at the gate about the extreme hard landing, which prompted the Airline to inspect the aircraft. That inspection revealed several wrinkles in the metal on the belly of the aircraft. The 767 remains grounded at JFK. Both JFK and the Airline are investigating the incident.

SNAPSHOTS

A SEAL CAPTURED AT PLAY THIS PAST WEEKEND AT THE JIHLAVA ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC. ACCORDING TO ZOO OFFICIALS, THE PACIFER WAS FOUND BY THE SEAL IN THE POOL, AND HE HAS KEPT IT WITH HIM SINCE THEN.

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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

MUSIC/OKLAHOMA HONORS FLAMING LIPS: After weeks of controversy and uncertainty, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry is scheduled to sign an executive order tomorrow that names the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize??" as the official rock song of Oklahoma. Flaming Lips main man Wayne Coyne said the entire experience has been at times exciting and disappointing, and in quintessential Lips fashion, always surreal. "It just seemed to me the whole thing was absurd to begin with and now it even becomes more absurd," Coyne says. "Now I really feel like it's something worth fighting for because I don't want people to just think, ‘Oh, Oklahoma is this backwards state as we suspected.'" Over the course of a month the act watched as its popular track, from 2002's "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots," won an Internet contest for best Sooner State rock song, over All-American Rejects, Leon Russell and The Call, with the measure passed by the Oklahoma state senate and then rejected by the state house of representatives due to the fact band member Michael Ivins wore a sickle and hammer t-shirt. For Coyne, the best part of the entire ordeal revolves around Henry vetoing the house rejection of the contest results, which included over 21,000 votes cast. "There are a lot of other great things that are happening in Oklahoma," Coyne says. "And you know for the governor to stand up and veto it and be on our side, it's such a great story in the end."

MUSIC/STRYDER TOPS UK SINGLES CHART: Grime vocalist Tinchy Stryder has knocked dance pop star Calvin Harris off the top of the UK singles chart. "Number 1," which co-stars N-Dubz, was a new entry for the 21-year-old, whose real name is Kwasi Danquah. It is the 1st time a single called "Number 1" has reached the top spot. Other artists who tried and failed include Goldfrapp, Pharell and EYC. Elsewhere in the singles chart, La Roux stayed at #2 with "In For The Kill" while Harris dropped to #3 with "I'm Not Alone". Lady GaGa's "Poker Face" dropped #4 but her album, "The Fame," stayed at #1. Depeche Mode's "Sounds of the Universe" was the highest-charting new album, at #2. Beyonce's album "I Am... Sasha Fierce" moved up 4 places to #3. "Only By The Night" from The Kings of Leon dropped 2 places to #4. London trio The Noisettes had the 2nd highest new entry on the album chart with "Wild Young Hearts" at #7.

THEATRE/DISMAL NOTICES FOR "PHILANTHROPIST": The revival of Christopher Hampton's "The Philanthropist," opened last evening on Broadway to generally poor reviews. Hampton constructed the 1970 play as an inversion of Moliere's "The Misanthrope". The cast is headed by Matthew Broderick, and rare for Broderick, he also has received poor notices. Variety said, "Director David Grindley had a hit in 2005 with his Donmar Warehouse revival of Christopher Hampton's "The Philanthropist," its cast headed by Simon Russell Beale, an actor who could locate the emotional undertow in even the most distancing role. There's no reason to question the endorsement of London critics, but every reason to suppose the change of venue and lead actor must have taken a dire toll on Grindley's production. With Matthew Broderick reducing the title character to a cartoon, performing in his own hermetic space that excludes everyone else onstage, the play sits inertly, its poignancy lost and its clever dialogue hollowed into empty banter". The New York Times said, "Watching “The Philanthropist,” a moribund revival of a 1969 play that opened Sunday night at the American Airlines Theater, is like being stuck in a stuffy room with a bunch of pompous, malicious or dreary writers and academics". They went on to say, "Watching “The Philanthropist” is quite literally a matter of being stuck in a stuffy room with a bunch of pompous, malicious or dreary writers and academics. Or at least actors portraying them. For sheer dullness,... beats just about anything on Broadway this season". "The Philanthropist" runs 130 minutes and is playing at the American Airlines Theater on Broadway.

THEATRE/"IMPRESSIONISM" TO CLOSE: The Broadway play "Impressionism," headlined by Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen, will shutter May 10. The show, one of several straight plays featuring big-name actors this season, never managed to attract crowds, particularly in the wake of generally negative reviews. For the past few weeks, "Impressionism" has played to audiences that have averaged less than 60% of capacity. A new play penned by Michael Jacobs and directed by Jack O'Brien, "Impressionism" underwent significant creative work during previews, with the opening night delayed by almost two weeks in order to incorporate changes (which included the scuttling of an act break). Plot follows the tentative relationship between a gallery owner and a photojournalist. Show began previews February 28 and opened March 24 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater. When it closes -- after the Tony noms are announced May 5, but before the June 7 ceremony, the production will have played 23 previews and 56 regular performances.

US NEWS/ GAY MARRIAGE BEGINS IN IOWA

At least 219 same-sex couples have applied for marriage licenses in Iowa so far today, the 1st day of legal gay marriage in the state. Many of the couples then were married by supportive ministers or justices of the peace. On April 3, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a ruling that struck down a state law that said marriage was only between a man and a woman. Opponents around the state delivered petitions urging county recorders not to issue licenses to gay couples, “until such conflict between the Supreme Court’s opinion and the law is addressed by a vote of the people of Iowa.” Such a vote probably wouldn’t take place until at least 2012, under rules on how the constitution can be amended. There were no reports of recorders refusing to issue licenses. To the disappointment of traditional-marriage advocates, the Iowa Legislature adjourned yesterday morning without taking steps to allow a vote of the people on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

US NEWS/ A SAVAGE KILLING IN HAWAII

The owners of a pet pig in Hawaii, are mourning his savage killing this weekend, at the hands of local hunters. They named him Keller, after Helen Keller, because he, too, was blind. Though it was never clear who adopted whom, the black-and-white pig who wandered in from the forest found safety and comfort at the Kamilonui Place animal shelter run by Gina Lay and Gary Weller. Lay said Keller knew every corner of the sprawling property, even if he occasionally did walk into a wall or a tree. He even had a friend, a part-sharpei dog named Manini, with whom he'd share long naps. "He'd only known human kindness," Lay said, "so he wasn't prepared for what happened to him." According to witnesses, Keller was lazing on the grassy front lawn of the sanctuary yesterday when a group of hunters pulled up and set their dogs on him. The dogs mauled the 35-pound pig until one of the hunters finally stabbed him to death. Neighbors called police, who arrested the man who stabbed Keller. According to 1 witness, who asked not to be identified, an off-duty police officer from the area arrived first and drew his gun while detaining the hunters. Lay said the man admitted killing Keller and later helped Lay bury the pig in a mulch heap on the property. Yesterday was not the first time the sanctuary has lost a pet to hunters. One Sunday afternoon a couple of years ago, a pack of hunting dogs chased another pet pig under Weller's house. Weller went outside to intervene, but not before a hunter ducked under the house, killed the pig with a knife and ran away. "I've never been so mad," Weller said. "Keller was our pet, and this is very emotional for us. If this were Texas, (the hunters) would be dead in the front yard. I don't have much in Hawai'i. This property is all I've got. For someone to come on private property with their dogs and kill our pet ... ". The sanctuary caters to abandoned, abused, disabled and terminally ill animals of all sorts. In addition to the 300 or so animals that have a permanent home at the facility, several feral pigs also visit the site to feed on the scraps neighbors often leave for them on the side of the road. Several neighbors stopped by the sanctuary to console Lay and her volunteer workers. Yet perhaps no one was more upset than Keller's nap buddy, Manini. 2 days ago, Manini gave birth to a litter of puppies. Yesterday, as the hunters' dogs pounced on Keller, Manini charged out of the house and attacked the dogs in a vain attempt to defend her friend. She was retrieved by shelter volunteers, "messed up" but otherwise unharmed. "We try to be a sanctuary for these animals," Lay said. "But it's hard to be a sanctuary when animals are slaughtered right on our front lawn."

WORLD NEWS/ FLU SPREADING WORLDWIDE

At least 73 cases of swine flu have been confirmed worldwide, the World Health Organization said early this afternoon. 40 of those cases are in the United States, 26 in Mexico, 6 in Canada and 1 in Spain, a WHO representative said. Also early this afternoon, health officials in Scotland said 2 cases of swine flu had been confirmed there. Hundreds more cases are suspected, especially in Mexico, where as many as 149 deaths are thought to have been caused by the virus, the country's health minister said. More than 2000 cases have been reported but not confirmed in the country. Federal officials confirmed 20 new US cases on today. A federal official said they were at the same school in New York in which 8 US cases were confirmed earlier. More than 100 students at the school were out with flu-like symptoms last week. The outbreak is a particular concern because of who it is hitting hard, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "We are concerned that in Mexico, most of those who died were young and healthy adults," he said. According to WHO, a public health emergency is an occurrence or imminent threat of illness or health conditions caused by bioterrorism, epidemic or pandemic disease, or highly fatal infectious agents or toxins that pose serious risk to a significant number of people. The virus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes around another person. People can become infected by touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes. The WHO has called the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern." Researchers are trying to determine how easily it can jump from person to person. And Keiji Fukuda, WHO's assistant director-general, said it was too early to predict whether there will be a mild or serious pandemic. The cases confirmed in the US and Mexico were enough of a concern for Andorra Vassiliou, the European Union's health commissioner, to recommend against travel to North America. People "should avoid traveling to Mexico or the USA unless it is very urgent for them," Vassiliou said. Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Vassiliou's warning was "not warranted."

In Mexico, authorities closed all schools until at least May 6 because of the virus. They are considering whether to suspend other public activities but are analyzing what economic effects could result, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordoba Villalobos said. "The number of cases, unfortunately, will continue to increase," he said. Military troops distributed 4 million filter masks in Mexico City, which has 20 million residents. Officials have talked about shutting down the bus and subway system, and incoming international passengers at the country's airports are asked on a form whether they have various symptoms that might indicate that they're carrying the virus. Concerns about the virus prompted Canada to issue a travel health notice, and South Korea to say it will test Airline passengers arriving from the United States. Japan is expected to convene a Cabinet meeting to come up with measures to block the entry of the virus into the country. In New Zealand, officials said 22 students and 3 teachers, who returned from a 3-week-long language trip to Mexico, might have been infected. The group remains quarantined at home, and Health Minister Tony Ryall said 10 students tested positive for influenza A, the general category of strains that includes the H1N1 swine flu. In Spain, 6 people, all recently returned from Mexico, were being isolated in hospitals, the country's Health Ministry said. Lab tests confirmed that 1 of the cases had tested positive. And in Israel, doctors are running tests on a man who recently returned from Mexico with light flu symptoms. In 1968, a "Hong Kong" flu pandemic killed about 1 million people worldwide. And in 1918, a "Spanish" flu pandemic killed as many as 100 million people.

WORLD NEWS/ QUAKE RATTLES SW MEXICO

A moderate quake measuring 5.6 in magnitude struck SW Mexico near the resort city of Acapulco late this morning, according to the USGS. The USGS measured the quake's epicenter in the state of Guerrero about 43 miles NE of Acapulco. Authorities in Acapulco evacuated hotels there, although there were no reports of damage. The quake, which struck at 11:46am, was felt about 145 miles to the N in Mexico City. Local media reported that people in Mexico City there headed out into the streets after a vibration shook buildings for about 30 to 40 seconds. There was no visible damage reported in either Acapulco or Mexico City.

AVIATION/ PHOTO-OP RATTLES NYC

An Air Force One lookalike, the backup plane for the one regularly used by the president, flew low over Manhattan on this morning, accompanied by 2 F16 fighters, so Air Force photographers could take pictures. But a lack of awareness about the flyover led to the evacuation of several buildings in Lower Manhattan and Jersey City, and perplexed officials at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and other authorities were inundated with calls from anxious ferry passengers, office workers and residents. A spokesman for the FAA, said “the photo op was approved and coordinated with everyone.” Notification was made in advance to the mayor’s office, “including its 911 and 311 operation centers,” the New York City Police Department, the New Jersey State Police, the United States Park Police and other agencies, he said. Late this morning, the Police Department acknowledged that it had been notified about the event but said it had been barred from alerting the public. “The flight of a VC25 aircraft and F16 fighters this morning was authorized by the FAA for the vicinity of the Statue of Liberty with directives to local authorities not to disclose information about it but to direct any inquiries to the FAA Air Traffic Security Coordinator,” the Police Department said in a statement. The event was scheduled for 10 to 10:30am. The plane is designated by the Defense Department as a VC25 but is recognizable to the public as a Boeing 747.

Unaware of the planned exercise, scores of office workers flooded out of buildings, worried about the prospect of terrorism. “People came pouring out of the buildings, the American Express Building, all the buildings in the financial district by the water,” said a photographer who was at the building, 3 World Financial Center. “And even the construction guys over by 100 North End Avenue area, they all got out of their buildings. Nobody knew about it. Finally some guy showed up with a little megaphone to tell everyone it was a test, but the people were not happy. The people who were here 9/11 were not happy.” In Jersey City, construction workers were evacuated from a condominium tower under construction at 77 Hudson Street. The workers, who were on the 32nd floor of the construction site, said the plane circled 3 times past the Goldman Sachs tower, the tallest building in New Jersey. On the 2nd pass, they said, the jet appeared to be only a few dozen feet from the building, close enough to clip the side of the skyscraper. A fighter followed right behind, mirroring its moves. Carlina Rivera, 25, who works at Kaplan Learning Services, on the 22nd floor of 1 Liberty Plaza, said her co-workers were spooked in part because their offices are so close to the site of the 9/11 attack. “As soon as someone saw how close it got to the buildings, people literally ran out,” she said. “Probably about 80% of my office left within 2 minutes of seeing how close it got to our building.” At 1 Liberty Plaza, according to another person who works in Lower Manhattan, a loudspeaker announcement said at 10:55am, “Planes were observed flying low over Lower Manhattan, but were part of an approved federal action.” The Staten Island Advance reported that the Federal Aviation Administration had authorized the flights and that the flights were “pre-planned.”

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

AIR FRANCE COMPLAINS OF US DIVERSION: US authorities ordered an AIR FRANCE flight from Paris to Mexico to stay out of US airspace because a journalist on board appeared on their "no-fly list", the Airline and his publisher say. Air France says the April 18 flight was forced to divert to the French Caribbean island of Martinique before continuing its journey and it is considering asking the US TSA for compensation. A spokesman for French publisher Le Temps des Cerises says the suspect passenger is Franco-Colombian journalist Hernando Calvo Ospina, who has written on revolutionary movements in Cuba and Colombia. He specializes in the anti-Castro movement. "Hernando, who was heading to Nicaragua to research a report, thus found out that he is on a 'no-fly list' that bans a number of people from flying to or even over the United States," the publisher said on Friday. It accused the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of being behind Ospina's blacklisting, and noted the journalist was working on a book about the US spy agency. Air France said the flight had not been headed to a US Airport so it had not sent US authorities the passenger manifest, although one was sent to Mexico. The crew was informed of the ban as they approached US airspace. Ospina said he was informed of the order to divert the flight by its Co-Pilot. "I was speechless and my first reaction was to ask, 'Do you think I'm a terrorist?'," he said. "He replied 'no' and said that was why he told me about it, adding that it was extraordinary and the first time it had happened on an Air France plane."

INTOXICATED AC PILOT CHARGED: An AIR CANADA Pilot was escorted off his plane this weekend, and arrested for being over the alcohol limit moments before he was set to take off from Heathrow Airport. Security staff at Terminal 3 alerted police claiming they could smell alcohol on his breath. The 45 year old Captain was then hauled out of the cockpit and arrested after failing a breath test. The Pilot had been due to fly 300 passengers on a 9 hour trip to Calgary from London on Air Canada Flight 851. According to local media, he had allegedly been drinking with colleagues the previous night. A police source told media that "He was amazed to be still over the limit in the middle of the day. He was close to tears. At this stage he appears to have thrown away his distinguished career". A reserve Captain was called in to fly the A330. The Pilot was taken to Heathrow police station where he gave a blood sample and was reportedly bailed for further inquiries.

NEW REVELATIONS IN EMIRATES FL407: The Pilot of an Emirates A340 that came close to crashing at Melbourne, Australia, with 225 passengers on board had barely slept the previous day, new media reports say. In addition, according the new reports, the Pilot had also been instructed to take off at reduced power to save money on fuel. "This is all about the money," a source is quoted as saying. The incident took place on March 20 as Emirates Flight 407 attempted to takeoff on its Scheduled International Service to Dubai. The A340 suffered a tail strike, and had to return to Melbourne. It has recently been disclosed that the aircraft barely made it over a fence at the Airport, with Airport sources stating the aircraft came extremely close to crashing. Investigators examining the near-catastrophe exploring whether fatigue was a factor after being told the Pilot had barely slept the day before the flight. Emirates Pilots are permitted to fly a maximum of 100 hours each 28 days and the Pilot was also almost at the legal threshold of the number of hours he was able to fly. Emirates has issued a statement saying safety was a top priority for the airline and refuting the claim that Pilot fatigue had been a factor in the incident. The Airline said that taking off at reduced power is a standard industry procedure, and was "commonly practiced by many Airlines for enhanced operating economics and increased long-term reliability". Both Pilots onboard Flight 407 were forced to resign within 48 hours of the incident.

FAA UPDATES ON FOUR STAR FIRE: The FAA has issued a brief update on the fire that destroyed a FOUR STAR AIR CARGO DC3 yesterday morning at San Juan, Puerto Rico. The DC3 was on Scheduled Cargo Service from San Juan to St Thomas, Virgin Islands, when an uncontrollable fire broke out in the cockpit of the aircraft as it was on taxi for takeoff. All 5 crew members evacuated without injury. According to the FAA, the aircraft was carrying 6000lbs of US Mail. Early reports suggest that about 1/2 of the mail was salvaged, the rest is considered destroyed. The NTSB has launched an investigation into the incident.

ENGINES FORCE AA MD82 TO DIVERT: AMERICAN AIRLINES Flight 1449 was on Scheduled Domestic MD82 Service from Tampa, Florida, to Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, when it had to divert while enroute, on Saturday, April 25. Flight 1449, with 147 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency due to unspecified engine trouble. The MD82 was diverted to Tallahassee, Florida, where it landed without incident. The aircraft has been removed from service and is undergoing a full inspection to determine the cause of the problem.

PRESSURE LOST ON IBERIA A340: IBERIA Flight 959 was on Scheduled Domestic A340 Service from Tenerife, Canary Islands, to Madrid, Spain, when it had to make an emergency return to Tenerife, on Saturday, April 25. Flight 959 declared an emergency about 1 hour after departure. The crew reported that while flying at 38000 feet, cabin pressure was lost. The A340 landed back at Tenerife without incident, and was removed from service for inspection and repair.

SNAPSHOTS

A ROYAL BENGAL TIGER CAPTURED AS HE YAWNS, THIS PAST WEEK NEAR DHAKA, BANGLADESH.

LUXE MEN/ CANDID SHOTS (#42)

5 SHOTS OF AMATEUR MEN FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

FILM/ROME TO HONOR STREEP: The Rome Film Festival will honor Meryl Streep this October with its Marcus Aurelius lifetime achievement award. Streep, long considered among Hollywood's most accomplished actresses, will hold an onstage conversation about her stellar career. Previous recipients of the top nod given by the Eternal City extravaganza, which is centered around the acting profession, include Sean Connery and Al Pacino. The festival's 6 member jury panel will be headed by Milos Forman. The 4th edition of the Rome Film Festival runs from October 15 to 23, 2009.

TV&THEATRE/ BEA ARTHUR DIES AT 86

Beatrice Arthur, the tall, deep-voiced actress whose razor-sharp delivery of comedy lines made her a TV star in the hit shows "Maude" and "The Golden Girls" and who won a Tony Award for the musical "Mame," died yesterday. She was 86. Arthur died peacefully at her Los Angeles home with her family at her side, family spokesman Dan Watt said. She had cancer, Watt said, declining to give further details. "She was a brilliant and witty woman," said Watt, who was Arthur's personal assistant for 6 years. "Bea will always have a special place in my heart." Arthur first appeared in the landmark comedy series "All in the Family" as Edith Bunker's loudly outspoken, liberal cousin, Maude Finley. She proved a perfect foil for blue-collar bigot Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor), and their blistering exchanges were so entertaining that producer Norman Lear fashioned Arthur's own series. In a 2008 interview Arthur said she was lucky to be discovered by TV after a long stage career, recalling with bemusement CBS executives asking about the new "girl." "I was already 50 years old. I had done so much off-Broadway, on Broadway, but they said, `Who is that girl? Let's give her her own series,'" Arthur said. "Maude" scored with television viewers immediately on its CBS debut in September 1972, and Arthur won an Emmy Award for the role in 1977. The comedy flowed from Maude's efforts to cast off the traditional restraints that women faced, but the series often had a serious base. Her husband Walter (Bill Macy) became an alcoholic, and she underwent an abortion, which drew a torrent of viewer protests. Maude became a standard bearer for the growing feminist movement in America. The ratings of "Maude" in the early years approached those of its parent, "All in the Family," but by 1977 the audience started to dwindle. A major format change was planned, but in early 1978 Arthur announced she was quitting the show. "It's been absolutely glorious; I've loved every minute of it," she said. "But it's been 6 years, and I think it's time to leave." "Golden Girls" (1985-1992) was another groundbreaking comedy, finding surprising success in a television market increasingly skewed toward a younger, product-buying audience. The series concerned 3 retirees, Arthur, Betty White and Rue McClanahan, and the mother of Arthur's character, Estelle Getty, who lived together in a Miami apartment. In contrast to the violent "Miami Vice," the comedy was nicknamed "Miami Nice." As Dorothy Zbornak, Arthur seemed as caustic and domineering as Maude. She was unconcerned about the similarity of the 2 roles. "Look - I'm 5-feet-9, I have a deep voice and I have a way with a line," she told an interviewer. "What can I do about it? I can't stay home waiting for something different. I think it's a total waste of energy worrying about typecasting." The interplay among the 4 women and their relations with men fueled the comedy, and the show amassed a big audience and 10 Emmys, including 2 as best comedy series and individual awards for each of the stars. In 1992, Arthur announced she was leaving "Golden Girls." The 3 other stars returned in "The Golden Palace," but it lasted only 1 season.

Arthur was born Bernice Frankel in New York City in 1922. When she was 11, her family moved to Cambridge, Maryland, where her father opened a clothing store. At 12 she had grown to full height, and she dreamed of being a petite blond movie star like June Allyson. There was one advantage of being tall and deep-voiced: She was chosen for the male roles in school plays. Bernice, she hated the name and adopted her mother's nickname of Bea, overcame shyness about her size by winning over her classmates with wisecracks. She was elected the wittiest girl in her class. After 2 years at a junior college in Virginia, she earned a degree as a medical lab technician, but she "loathed" doing lab work at a hospital. Acting held more appeal, and she enrolled in a drama course at the New School of Social Research in New York City. To support herself, she sang in a night spot that required her to push drinks on customers. During this time she had a brief marriage that provided her stage name of Beatrice Arthur. In 1950, she married again, to Broadway actor and future Tony-winning director Gene Saks. After a few years in off-Broadway and stock company plays and television dramas, Arthur's career gathered momentum with her role as Lucy Brown in the 1955 production of "The Threepenny Opera." In 2008, when Arthur was inducted in the TV Academy Hall of Fame, Arthur pointed to the role as the highlight of her long career. "A lot of that had to do with the fact that I felt, `Ah, yes, I belong here,'" Arthur said. More plays and musicals followed, and she also sang in nightclubs and played small roles in TV comedy shows. Then, in 1964, Harold Prince cast her as Yente the Matchmaker in the original company of "Fiddler on the Roof." Arthur's biggest Broadway triumph came in 1966 as Vera Charles, Angela Lansbury's acerbic friend in the musical "Mame," directed by Saks. Richard Watts of the New York Post called her performance "a portrait in acid of a savagely witty, cynical and serpent-tongued woman." She won the Tony as best supporting actress and repeated the role in the unsuccessful film version that also was directed by Saks, starring Lucille Ball as Mame. Arthur would play a variation of Vera Charles in "Maude" and "The Golden Girls." In 1983, Arthur attempted another series, "Amanda's," an Americanized version of John Cleese's hilarious "Fawlty Towers." She was cast as owner of a small seaside hotel with a staff of eccentrics. It lasted a mere 9 episodes. Between series, Arthur remained active in films and theater. Among the movies: "That Kind of Woman" (1959), "Lovers and Other Strangers" (1970), Mel Brooks' "The History of the World: Part I" (1981), "For Better or Worse" (1995). The plays included Woody Allen's "The Floating Light Bulb" and "The Bermuda Avenue Triangle," written by and costarring Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna. During 2001 and 2002 she toured the country in a one-woman show of songs and stories, "... And Then There's Bea." Arthur and Saks divorced in 1978 after 28 years. They had 2 sons, Matthew and Daniel. In his long career, Saks won Tonys for "I Love My Wife," "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Biloxi Blues." One of his Tony nominations was for "Mame." In 1999, Arthur told an interviewer of the 3 influences in her career: "Sid Caesar taught me the outrageous; (method acting guru) Lee Strasberg taught me what I call reality; and ('Threepenny Opera' star) Lotte Lenya, whom I adored, taught me economy." In recent years, Arthur made guest appearances on shows including "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Malcolm in the Middle." She was chairwoman of the Art Attack Foundation, a non-profit performing arts scholarship organization. Arthur is survived by her sons and 2 granddaughters. No funeral services are planned.

WORLD NEWS/ FLU EMERGENCY DECLARED

The United States government declared a public health emergency today as the number of identified cases of swine flu in the nation rose to 20. The declaration is part of a "standard operating procedure" that will make available additional government resources to combat the virus, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said at the White House. Additional cases of swine flu are expected to be reported in the coming days, added Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No one has died in the US from swine flu, officials said today. In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said 8 students at St. Francis Prepatory School in Queens have tested positive for swine flu. More than 100 students at the school were absent with flu-like symptoms last week, he said. State public health officials in Ohio confirmed 1 case of swine flu on today. There have been 7 confirmed cases in California, 2 in Kansas, and 2 in Texas, Besser said. The World Health Organization advised all countries to be on the lookout for "unusual" outbreaks of flu, after an emergency meeting yesterday as the seriousness of the outbreak became clear. As of this morning, 81 deaths in Mexico had been deemed "likely linked" to swine flu. Viral testing has confirmed 20 cases, said Mexico's health secretary. In Mexico City, the massive downtown Cathedral of Mexico City was open but Masses were not scheduled. Dozens of worshippers put on masks and went inside the church anyway to pray on their own. Canada confirmed its 1st cases of swine flu on today, with 4 people said to have the virus in the eastern province of Nova Scotia, health officials said. Nova Scotia's chief public health officer said the cases were among students who had recently traveled to Mexico. The H1N1 strain of swine flu is usually associated with pigs. When the flu spreads person-to-person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it a tougher strain that is harder to treat or fight off. Symptoms of swine flu include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC.

In New Zealand, officials said 22 students and 3 teachers back from a 3 week long language trip to Mexico may have been infected with the swine flu virus. The 25 students and teachers at Auckland's Rangitoto College returned to New Zealand via Los Angeles yesterday. 14 have shown flu-like symptoms, with 4 "more unwell than others," said Dr. Julia Peters, clinical director of Auckland Regional Public Health Service. It is not clear whether anyone else who was on the plane with them has shown signs of the disease. Health Minister Tony Ryall said 10 students tested positive for influenza A. The specimens will be sent to WHO to determine whether it is H1N1 swine influenza. H1N1 influenza is a subset of influenza A. The WHO results are expected back by midweek. The group remains quarantined at home. A BRITISH AIRWAYS crew member developed flu-like symptoms during a flight from Mexico City to London and was tested for swine flu, but the results came back negative. Britain is not putting travel restrictions in place, according to British Airways and Heathrow airport operator BAA, and the country's Port Health Authority has no reason for concern over swine flu, BAA said. The Mexico Tourist Board said Saturday there are no restrictions on travel to the country. In Israel, doctors are running tests on a man who recently returned from Mexico with light flu symptoms. US health officials said that some cases of the virus in the United States matched samples of the deadly Mexican virus. All the patients have recovered or are expected to. The panic over the virus prompted Canada to issue a travel health notice, saying the public health agency was "tracking clusters of severe respiratory illness with deaths in Mexico." South Korea said it will test Airline passengers arriving from the United States. Japan will convene a Cabinet meeting tomorrow to develop measures to block entry of the virus into the country. The United States has not issued any travel warnings or quarantines. But US AIRWAYS said it would allow passengers to change plans if they wanted to because of the outbreak. An Airline spokeswoman said it was not asking people not to travel to Mexico, but wanted to "give them that flexibility" if "they don't feel comfortable." Gregory Hartl of the World Health Organization said the strain of the virus seen in Mexico is worrisome because it has mutated from older strains. "Any time that there is a virus which changes ... it means perhaps the immunities the human body has built up to deal with influenza might not be adjusted well enough to deal with this new virus," Hartl said. Mexico City has closed all of its schools and universities until further notice because of the virus.